This will resonate especially with the francophone literary types, who will be saddened to learn that writer Nelly Arcan, a 2001 revelation whose first book Putain won high acclaims, has been found dead in her Mtl flat.
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/arts/livres/200909/25/01-905371-nelly-arcan-meurt-a-35-ans.php
Putain pertained not to the sex industry, but with a woman's reaction to it. While she was never a spokesperson for the hobby, her talking about it publicly, and it shocking people, certainly contributed to opening minds.
There's currently very little on the circumstances of her death, but the (small) Qc blogosphere is speculating suicide. My favourite post, below, pertains to a guy who almost dated her, although cerbites could have even more "material" memories of the writer...
http://renartleveille.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/nelly-arcan-suicide/
UK